Resident Evil: Revelations Console and PC Ports To Receive Demo

Capcom has prepared a demo for the new versions of Resident Evil: Revelations, but isn't sure when it will be available.

Resident Evil has been having a bit of a tough time lately. While the franchise still sells well, entries have been met by markedly mixed reviews. One of the few exceptions to this is Resident Evil: Revelations which, despite some flaws, was considered by most to be a solid and entertaining addition to the franchise. Hoping to expand the game's reach beyond its original 3DS release, Capcom announced in January that Revelations was being ported to consoles and PC. The new versions were slated for release on May 21st in North America and May 24th in Europe. With those dates now on the horizon, Capcom has announced that a demo will soon be available to give fans a taste of the game before it lands in stores.

"Today we're happy to announce there will be a playable demo coming to Xbox Live, PSN, Nintendo eShop and Steam," said Capcom. "So for those who still haven't sampled the claustrophobic hallways of the Queen Zenobia, you'll soon have a chance to do so free of charge." Oddly enough, given the game's actual release is now less than a month away, Capcom offered no release date for the demo. "The exact date is still TBD, but given that the game's out on May 21 (24 EU), it can't be far off."

While Resident Evil is an established franchise with a fairly large fan base to help drive sales, it's nonetheless a smart move on the part of Capcom to release a demo. A point of dissatisfaction for many fans in recent years have been the series' attempts to distance itself from its horror roots. While Revelations definitely had some action heavy sections, the chapters aboard the ocean liner Queen Zenobia were often eerie and, for some, a step back in the right direction. If the demo can help to convey that experience, it could do a lot to sell the game to more jaded fans.